Working backstage at a fashion show might sound like a dream come true – access to stunning clothes, the buzz of a major event, and the chance to rub shoulders with the industry’s elite. However, the reality takes a quick 180 degree turn in no time.
Rimzim Dadu backstage in Gurgaon. Photo Credits: Ankita Singh
Imagine a scene straight out of a fashion documentary. Clothes fly like confetti, stilettos click a frantic rhythm, and headsets crackle with urgent pronouncements. “Move, move, MOVE!” the air vibrates with this mantra as the clock races towards showtime. Models wearing heels taller than skyscrapers, dash across the room looking like glamorous gazelles on the run.
This is the not-so-glamorous reality of life backstage at a fashion show. It’s a world far removed from the polished spectacle strutting down the runway. But hey, who needs front-row seats when you can witness the raw energy that fuels the whole operation?
I got the opportunity to work at the inaugural edition of Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Nxt on 2nd February 2024. There I was, working as an assistant dresser for designer Rimzim Dadu’s dazzling collection at One Horizon Centre in Gurugram. This wasn’t my first rodeo –– I’d braved the backstage battleground before –– but let me tell you, the adrenaline rush never gets old.
Forget leisurely sipping cappuccinos backstage. This is a boot camp for fashion enthusiasts. From the moment you step foot in the venue, it’s a non-stop race against the clock. Imagine being a pack mule, juggling overflowing clothing racks, searching for specific garments in a sea of sequins and silk, and babysitting a mountain of dazzling brand jewellery – all while navigating the human traffic jam that is a cramped dressing room.
Just when you think you might snag a precious five minutes to breathe before showtime, the calm shatters. The models return, demanding outfit changes in a timeframe that defies the laws of physics. (Think two seconds, not twenty.) My vocabulary during this glorious hour of mayhem could only be described as “chaotic.” Expect phrases like “What are you doing?”, “Take this off!”, “Put on this one!”, sprinkled with “Move!”, “Go!”, and the evergreen “Oh my god!”
But even after the final strut down the runway, the drama doesn’t end. Our mission isn’t complete until every garment, every piece of jewellery, and every shoe is accounted for, meticulously wrapped, and safely returned to the designer’s team. A missing earring? Be prepared for a fashion faux pas equivalent of a public reprimand.
However, amidst the whirlwind, a different kind of magic unfolds. Here, you’re not just a fashion show grunt; you’re granted a backstage pass to the world of high fashion. You witness firsthand the countless hours poured into each garment, the meticulous attention to detail, the sheer artistry poured into each creation. Steaming a dress becomes a meditative act, a silent promise that one day, your designs might grace this very stage.
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